Bottle cap



o. L. KOSCHERAK 2,157,937

BOTTLE CAP Filed March 31, 1938 INVENTOR Vii L fi'asr/zera/L 2 ATTORNEYS Patented May 9, 1 939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a bottle cap of the type to be used for dispensing bottled carbonated beverages.

An object of the invention is to provide a cap of the above type which may be readily removed to permit the beverage to be dispensed from the bottle and which may again be re-sealed for holding the remaining contents of the bottle under pressure until used.

Another object is to provide a cap of the above type which remains out of contact with the liquid while the same is being poured from the bottle.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature of theinvention is more fully disclosed.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be pointed out more particularly in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself may be better understood by referring to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a cap embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 showing a portion of the bottle neck with the cap in position thereon;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the cap and bottle neck showing the hinge construction; and

Fig. 4 is a similar side elevation showing the cap in position to permit the contents to be poured from the bottle.

In the following description and in the claims certain specific terms are used for convenience in referring to various details of the invention. It is to be understood, however, that these terms are to be given as broad an interpretation as the state of the art will permit.

Referring to the drawing more in detail, the invention is shown as applied to a cap comprising an outer shell III, which may be formed of any rigid material, such as metal, and has seated therein an inner disk I I of resilient material, such as rubber or cork, which is adapted to seat 45 over the pouring lip I2 of a bottle I3 as shown in Fig. 2. The shell I!) is shown as provided with projecting ears I4 and I5 at diametrically opposite parts thereof, between which is seated a clip I6.

The clip I6 extends over the top of the cap and is provided with downwardly extending flanges I1 and I8 which are bent inwardly to form ears I9 and 2|], respectively, adapted to snap into the usual groove 2| under the pouring lip I2 of the 55 bottle for holding the cap in position thereon.

The clip is securely held to the shell III by means of the ears I4 and I5 and by the inwardly bent flanges I! and I8. The flange I8 is also bent outwardly to form a finger grip 22 for removing the cap. The flange I1 is likewise extended and is bent backwardly and upwardly to form sections 23 and 24 which provide a hinge knuckle for attaching the clip I6 to a hinge bracket to be described. Section 23 is preferably flattened so as to provide a bearing surface which bears against the outside of the bottle for holding the cap in open position as shown in Fig. 4.

The clip I6 may be attached to the bottle by suitable means. In the embodiment shown a snap-on bracket 30 is provided, having spring fingers 3| which pass around and grip the neck 32 of the bottle and with an upstanding flange 33 having an aperture 34, through which the hinge knuckle of the clip I6 extends. The clip 38 may be adapted to be readily snapped on or oil the bottle so as to be used on any standard bottle after the usual cap has been removed therefrom or the present cap may be permanently attached to the bottle and sold therewith.

In the embodiment shown, the cap is applied to a standard type of dispensing bottle, such as a gingerale bottle having a neck 32 provided with a pouring lip I2 and an annular recess 2| as previously described. An enlarged bead 36 may be formed between the recess 2| and the neck 32 as is customary in such bottles.

The clip 30 is adapted to engage the neck 32 of the bottle directly under the bead 36 and is designed so that the flange 33 assists the clip I6 in holding the cap in position on the bottle, as shown in Fig. 2. It is to be understood, however, that the spring flanges I1 and I8 of the clip are preferably so formed that they snap into the recess 2I and exert suflicient pressure to hold the cap in position.

When the bottle is to be opened, the cap is lifted by inserting a finger under the finger grip 22 of the flange I8, thereby hingedly turning the cap about its hinge knuckle into the position shown in Fig. 4, in which the portion 23 of the flange II bears against the outer surface of the bottle. The flange 33 is adapted to exert pressure toward the neck of the bottle for holding section 23 of the clip in contact therewith with sufiicient force to retain the cap in open position when the bottle is tilted for pouring. It is to be understood, of course, that if the pressure applied by the flange 33 is such as to produce the necessary friction between the hinge knuckle and the bottle, it may not be necessary to flatten the portion 23 of the flange I! and that the contour thereof may be modified accordingly. It may, for example, be formed as a continuous curve. The cap is thus held open as long as desired without requiring further attention. After the required quantity of liquid has been poured out of the bottle, the cap may again be snapped into place and will effectively seal the bottle until it is opened for further use.

It will be noted that the above described invention provides a cap which may be readily operated with one hand. For example, after the cap is unseated, the bottle may be lifted and the liquid poured in the usual manner without requiring the cap to be held out of contact with the pouring liquid. Furthermore, the cap is efflcient in design and cheap in manufacture so that it can be sold on the original bottle or may be sold separately as an attachment to be used thereon.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein as will be apparent to a person skilled in the art. The invention is to be limited only in accordance with the following claims when interpreted in view of the prior art.

What is claimed is:

1. A bottle cap for use with a bottle having a pouring lip and an annular groove therebelow, said cap comprising a member adapted to engage the top of the pouring lip for closing and sealing the bottle, a spring clip extending diametrically across said member and having downwardly and inwardly turned flanges forming ears adapted to snap into said annular groove for holding the cap in sealing engagement with the pouring lip, a hinge knuckle carried by one of said flanges and a bracket adapted to engage the bottle neck, said bracket having an upwardly extending resilient flange constructed and arranged to frictionally hold said hinge knuckle against the outer surface of the bottle when the bracket is applied thereto, so as to maintain the cap in open position while the contents of the bottle are being poured therefrom.

2. A bottle cap for use with a bottle having a pouring lip and an annular groove therebelow, said cap comprising a shell having an inner disk seated therein adapted to engage the top of the pouring lip for closing and sealing the bottle, a spring clip extending across said shell and having downwardly and inwardly turned flanges forming ears adapted to snap into said annular groove for holding the cap in sealing engagement with the pouring lip, ears formed on said shell and engaging said clip to hold the same in position, one of said flanges being bent to form a hinge knuckle, the other of said flanges being bent to form a finger grip, a bracket adapted to engage the bottle neck, said bracket having means supporting said hinge knuckle for hingedly holding the cap in position on said bottle, said hinge knuckle having a flattened portion adapted to engage the outer surface of the bottle for holding the cap in open position while the contents of the bottle are being poured therefrom.

OTTO L. KOSCHERAK. 

